DSM Rosalind Franklin Biotechnology Center | cepezed

On the DSM campus in Delft, the new, cepezed-designed Rosalind Franklin Biotechnology Center was recently opened. With thisstate-of-the-art research facility, DSM expands its capacity for the study of biotechnological prospects in nutrition, animal feed, biofuel, pharma and bio-based materials. The new lab is part of a large-scale, future-oriented investment program started in 2013. Within the framework hereof, cepezed earlier also drew up a master plan for the Delft campus.

Chemical and biotechnology company DSM is a leader in innovative knowledge economy and is investing heavily in new developments and R&D facilities at the moment. cepezed designed the masterplan for the rearrangement of the Delft location, drawn up the building programme for the new Rosalind Franklin Biotechnology Center at this plant and also conceived the design for this laboratory building. The master plan includes a reconfiguration of the circulation routes and also a reorganization of functions. The new configuration focuses mainly on creating possibilities for expansion in the future and an optimally efficient use of the zone for which a permit has been granted for operations in a higher environmental category. The new Biotechnology Center replaces the existing Beijerinck laboratory from 1984, which over the years h became out-dated and too small and that did not meet the requirements anymore, but will stay in use for other functions. The new construction occupies circa 13,425 m² gfa with offices and laboratories in the category ML1 and higher. The building has been realized in the continuation of the Food Innovation Centre and Wetering office building on the site, with which the lab works closely in functional terms and with which it is also physically connected. The Biotechnology Center has been designed to be as clean-lined and compact as possible and is characterized by a sharp division between the office and laboratory functions. The building has a structural design with large spans, so that the floor slabs have the least number of columns possible and can be arranged extremely flexibly. On the laboratory side, the heart of the building is reserved for a stabilizing core containing shafts and building services, flanked by functions such as storage and equipment areas, which do not require much natural light. On the office side, the building’s centre contains an atrium that includes a fully glazed panorama lift. To allow employees to enjoy a large incidence of daylight, the workspaces have been organized along the vertically articulated façades with an open-closed ratio of 2:1 and floor-to ceiling glass. The large free height of no less than 3.20 metres also contributes to the capture of natural light. At places where the preference is for less daylight due to specific research being carried out, the open-closed ratio is 1:1. In addition, cleanly detailed interior sun shades combined with air extraction have been integrated into the façade.

At the moment, some 400 scientists of 27 nationalities work on among other things solutions for low sugar and high-protein nutrition in the lab. The new building was named after the female researcher Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958), whose work was pivotal to the discovery and understanding of DNA-structures and thus importantly co-created the basis of modernday biotechnology. Because of an early death, she never received proper recognition though. With naming the new biotechnology center after Franklin, DSM wishes to honour all female scientists.